Born in humble, rural surroundings in the Jackson Purchase, Barkley grew into a sturdy youth who received an education through parental sacrifices. He graduated from Marvin College as an ...
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Born in humble, rural surroundings in the Jackson Purchase, Barkley grew into a sturdy youth who received an education through parental sacrifices. He graduated from Marvin College as an award-winning speaker and soon moved with his parents to Paducah, where he read law and became an attorney. Barkley entered politics winning elections as county attorney and then county judge: he gained victory through his farmer constituents. In 1913 he moved from courthouse to Congress as a progressive who championed President Wilson’s New Freedom program. During World War I, he favored freedom of the seas to promote agricultural exports and gained national attention by advocating prohibition. In wartime he visited US soldiers on the front lines and in peacetime became a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which enhanced his understanding of international relations. His only electoral loss occurred when he campaigned for governor, but his Kentucky canvass enabled him to win a US Senate seat in 1926. Furious over Republican administrations for their support of high tariffs that hurt agricultural exports and their inability to assist impoverished Americans during the Great Depression, Barkley became a strong supporter and national spokesman for the New Deal. World War II found Senate majority leader Barkley playing a key role in wartime legislation, but he lost favor with President Roosevelt by opposing the president’s expensive revenue bill of 1944. Meanwhile, the senator had maintained close and supportive relations with Truman and joined him as his vice presidential candidate on the 1948 presidential ticket. Barkley became the one and only Veep who turned the vice presidency into an important office. The Paducah politician failed to get his party’s nomination for president in 1952, so he temporarily retired, appearing on his own national television show, and preparing (with help) his autobiography. In 1954 he won election and returned to the US Senate as a junior member.Less

Alben Barkley : A Life in Politics

James K. Libbey

Published in print: 2016-03-15

Born in humble, rural surroundings in the Jackson Purchase, Barkley grew into a sturdy youth who received an education through parental sacrifices. He graduated from Marvin College as an award-winning speaker and soon moved with his parents to Paducah, where he read law and became an attorney. Barkley entered politics winning elections as county attorney and then county judge: he gained victory through his farmer constituents. In 1913 he moved from courthouse to Congress as a progressive who championed President Wilson’s New Freedom program. During World War I, he favored freedom of the seas to promote agricultural exports and gained national attention by advocating prohibition. In wartime he visited US soldiers on the front lines and in peacetime became a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which enhanced his understanding of international relations. His only electoral loss occurred when he campaigned for governor, but his Kentucky canvass enabled him to win a US Senate seat in 1926. Furious over Republican administrations for their support of high tariffs that hurt agricultural exports and their inability to assist impoverished Americans during the Great Depression, Barkley became a strong supporter and national spokesman for the New Deal. World War II found Senate majority leader Barkley playing a key role in wartime legislation, but he lost favor with President Roosevelt by opposing the president’s expensive revenue bill of 1944. Meanwhile, the senator had maintained close and supportive relations with Truman and joined him as his vice presidential candidate on the 1948 presidential ticket. Barkley became the one and only Veep who turned the vice presidency into an important office. The Paducah politician failed to get his party’s nomination for president in 1952, so he temporarily retired, appearing on his own national television show, and preparing (with help) his autobiography. In 1954 he won election and returned to the US Senate as a junior member.

In 1930 Barkley attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in London and then joined colleagues in visiting the Soviet Union. They were intrigued by the Soviet Five-Year Plan of industrialization ...
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In 1930 Barkley attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in London and then joined colleagues in visiting the Soviet Union. They were intrigued by the Soviet Five-Year Plan of industrialization in the midst of depression. Barkley returned to the United States furious that President Hoover refused grants to farmers suffering from a terrible drought. He also argued with the administration about the Hawley-Smoot Tariff that pummeled US foreign trade and ended German reparations and hence European payments on war loans. A terrible car accident temporarily removed him from political activity in 1931. He criticized the 1932 Reconstruction Finance Corporation because it funded businesses with no direct help to the thirteen million with no wages. Meanwhile, Hoovervilles--where unemployed lived in shacks--spread across the United States including a large one in Washington, DC. Forceful elimination of the Bonus Army and the capital’s Hooverville reduced Hoover’s chance to gain reelection in 1932. Barkley served as keynote speaker and temporary chairman of the Democratic national convention that selected Franklin D. Roosevelt as the party’s presidential nominee. FDR promised a “new deal for the American people.”Less

Senator Barkley from Depression to the Announcement of a New Deal

James K. Libbey

Published in print: 2016-03-15

In 1930 Barkley attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in London and then joined colleagues in visiting the Soviet Union. They were intrigued by the Soviet Five-Year Plan of industrialization in the midst of depression. Barkley returned to the United States furious that President Hoover refused grants to farmers suffering from a terrible drought. He also argued with the administration about the Hawley-Smoot Tariff that pummeled US foreign trade and ended German reparations and hence European payments on war loans. A terrible car accident temporarily removed him from political activity in 1931. He criticized the 1932 Reconstruction Finance Corporation because it funded businesses with no direct help to the thirteen million with no wages. Meanwhile, Hoovervilles--where unemployed lived in shacks--spread across the United States including a large one in Washington, DC. Forceful elimination of the Bonus Army and the capital’s Hooverville reduced Hoover’s chance to gain reelection in 1932. Barkley served as keynote speaker and temporary chairman of the Democratic national convention that selected Franklin D. Roosevelt as the party’s presidential nominee. FDR promised a “new deal for the American people.”

Barkley attended the 1920 Democratic national convention and became acquainted with and campaigned for the party’s vice presidential candidate, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Warren G. Harding and the GOP ...
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Barkley attended the 1920 Democratic national convention and became acquainted with and campaigned for the party’s vice presidential candidate, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Warren G. Harding and the GOP won the White House, and thus began the era of “normalcy.” The Great War helped turn Barkley into a moderate internationalist who belonged to the Inter-Parliamentary Union and supported the Washington Naval Disarmament Conference. Barkley continued to be a progressive politician, but congenial programs were rare except for the Sheppard-Towner Maternity Act. Barkley was a sometime member of the farm bloc but fought the GOP higher tariff, which promised high rates against foreign agricultural imports. He lost his only election when he ran unsuccessfully against J. Campbell Cantrill in the 1923 Democratic primary for the Kentucky governor’s post. In the process, however, he built a statewide organization that enabled him to win the Senate seat from Richard P. Ernst in 1926.Less

“Normalcy” and the Tale of Two Elections

James K. Libbey

Published in print: 2016-03-15

Barkley attended the 1920 Democratic national convention and became acquainted with and campaigned for the party’s vice presidential candidate, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Warren G. Harding and the GOP won the White House, and thus began the era of “normalcy.” The Great War helped turn Barkley into a moderate internationalist who belonged to the Inter-Parliamentary Union and supported the Washington Naval Disarmament Conference. Barkley continued to be a progressive politician, but congenial programs were rare except for the Sheppard-Towner Maternity Act. Barkley was a sometime member of the farm bloc but fought the GOP higher tariff, which promised high rates against foreign agricultural imports. He lost his only election when he ran unsuccessfully against J. Campbell Cantrill in the 1923 Democratic primary for the Kentucky governor’s post. In the process, however, he built a statewide organization that enabled him to win the Senate seat from Richard P. Ernst in 1926.